FORT KENT, Maine – Fort Kent Library Director Andrew Birden explained to the Fort Kent Town Council on Dec. 9 how the Fort Kent Public Library, which is only partially municipally funded, has positively impacted the community and needs increased funding to remain sustainable.
Fort Kent’s 2024 allocation to the library is $40,000. In 2025 the library’s total operating budget is estimated at $85,000, more than half of the town’s current allocation. And while the town covers employee payroll, all other operational costs are covered via grants and fundraising efforts primarily led by the Friends of the Fort Kent Public Library, a non-profit organization that supports the facility.
Birden requested a $10,000 increase in 2025, bringing the total to $50,000. This increase will primarily help the library pay its staff higher wages. All employees, including Birden, currently make $15 per hour, which is just 35 cents more than minimum wage. The library employs the equivalent of 1.5 full-time employees.
The library’s currently proposed budget would increase the director’s wage to $17 per hour and staff to $16 per hour. According to a breakdown of proposed costs, Birden will be paid for 10 hours per week while staff will be paid for 30 hours per week.
Birden told the board that he brings a unique set of skills including technology consulting, system management, and IT support to the library. Earlier this year, he said he suffered a heart attack, and that if he were no longer around to serve at the library, the town would likely have a difficult time finding anyone with a similar level of expertise willing to work for $15 an hour.
He also shared an overview of some of the library’s positive developments throughout the past year to the council. He cited a 25 percent increase in patrons over the past two years, with the total number of 1,130 patrons in 2022 increasing to 1,422 in 2024. People also checked out 5,707 items in 2024, which Birden says represents a 1.4 percent increase over the previous year.
The library saw a total of 6,161 walk-ins in 2024, or an average of 25 visitors each day the library was open. The facility also received $100,000 in grant funding for a shared remote workspace and will be able to use $17,680 of this to specifically offset next year’s staffing costs. But this will not be available in 2026, the following year.
Councilor Jake Robichaud said the additional funding request seemed reasonable. The council did not make any formal decisions or votes regarding the library funding during the meeting. Council Chairman Corey Pelletier suggested that Birden bring this presentation to the town’s budget committee. Birden agreed and said that this will also be presented to the committee.
He said he also chose to present to the council, because Fort Kent’s elected officials have influence in their community, and that their support will help the library to continue its forward momentum.
“Thank you for letting me talk to you,” he said. “And just know that the library is more than that building. It’s got things happening that are amazing to watch.”
The town of Fort Kent will set its annual budget and elect municipal officials during its annual town meeting next March.
